Country Days

Posts Tagged ‘hand made’

For a quirky assortment of vintage, recycled and handmade items for your home, browse away online at Loop the Loop. The shopping emporium is run by Laura and Adam, who share a passion for interiors – having furnished their own home with vintage finds and handmade crafts.

The couple dreamt up Loop the Loop on an early morning walk when they found themselves thinking: ‘why not find things other people will love too?’. They believe objects have to be more than just pretty to look at, they must also be well made, well designed, elegant and useful.

It’s my penchant for colour that first drew my attention to the beautiful collection of screen-printed textiles at Abigail*Ryan.

Design duo Abigail and Ryan Bell cleverly combine their artistic talents to create stunning homewares that bring a touch of the outdoors in. Inspired by the countryside Abigail’s illustrations are all hand-drawn from leaves, seeds and flowers. The designs are then brought to life through Ryan’s flair for colour.

I love the hand-sewn sycamore cushions in the rich slate and pumpkin tones, which have a lovely earthen feel. The botanical ink drawing of the dahlia is my particular favourite, seen below on a tea towel in a rich raspberry – it’s sure to brighten up any country kitchen.

For a quick fix for windows, I love this decorative blind project that features in our October 2011 issue.

The blind is made from a panel of fabric called Sea Shell by Chivasso and is trimmed with lengths of pretty VV Rouleaux Gold Braid ribbon. Best of all, it’s fitted to a telescopic curtain pole so you don’t need to fit brackets or battens.

To have a go yourself click here for instructions and for more Country Homes & Interiors crafts projects visit our sister website Housetohome.

Our Decorating team recently visited the Vintage Exhibition at the Southbank Centre, for an afternoon of inspiration. The stand out exhibitor from the show was artisan designer Catherine Hammerton, a textiles graduate from London. Catherine’s unique range of ceramics, hand stitched textiles and screen-printed wallpapers are all designed and made by hand in the UK – giving them a delightful homespun feel. We loved the patchwork tablecloths and the Bottle Garden china collection, perfect to add a vintage touch to your kitchen or dining room.

It’s an inspiring collection of 30 simple projects for the kitchen, living room, bedroom and laundry, with illustrated step-by-step instructions and a section on basic sewing skills.

Update your home with a cushion in one of this season’s gorgeous new fabrics, sew pretty peg bags, or make a vintage-style pinny (below). With so many lovely makes I can’t decide which one to try first!

I’d love to know what everyone else is up to – what are you making at the moment?

Made at Home by Lisa Stickley (£16.99, Quadrille Publishing).

Pinny from Made at Home by Lisa Stickley. Photograph Ben Anders / Quadrille Publishing.

If you haven’t discovered Etsy yet, don’t wait another moment! It’s the most amazing online treasure trove of beautiful hand made objects: homewares, art, paper goods, embroidered and knitted pieces and stunning jewellery. We love this Green Leaves tote made from vintage fabric by Bristol-based company Pouch. Etsy has hundreds of sellers and the content is updated constantly so whether you’re looking for a present or a little crafted treat for yourself there’s loads to choose from. Etsy’s blog is full of fascinating features about makers and lots of advice if you’re thinking about setting up your own craft business. Enjoy browsing!

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